Pretoria - South Africa and the United Kingdom have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost safety and security over the upcoming FIFA Soccer World Cup, the police ministry said on Tuesday.

The agreement on police co-operation includes intelligence sharing, measures taken in the UK to stop hooligans travelling to South Africa and the roles and remit of each country's police forces, the department said in a statement.

The historic deal was signed in London last week by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa and the UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

Mthethwa was part of a presidential delegation that accompanied President Jacob Zuma on his official three-day visit to the UK.

Zero tolerance

Mthethwa said the agreement was a "very significant" milestone in South Africa's preparations for the tournament.

"We believe their expertise will stand us in good stead as we ensure zero tolerance on any potential criminal activity."

Johnson also said the World Cup promised to be a great sporting event and that he was confident incoming British fans would be able to enjoy it safely.

He said the agreement covered arrangements to prevent fans who were a known risk from travelling to the tournament, the sharing of information and the roles of each country.

"All of this will make sure we are working with South Africa to do everything we can to help minimise the safety and security risks associated with hosting a major football tournament."

Known trouble-makers

The police ministry said the UK Home Office would enact the necessary laws to empower British police to stop known trouble-makers leaving the country during the World Cup.

Fans on football banning orders would be monitored throughout the tournament, with checks starting 10 days before kick-off.

UK officers deployed to South Africa during the tournament would also share information with the South African police and regional forces in the country to help continue the good behaviour shown by English fans in recent past events.

The deal would also foster the good relationship between the two countries on anti-terrorism measures.

Taxi bosses have given Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele an ultimatum: they want him to spell out their role in the World Cup transport plans within a week.

Irate South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) members told MPs on Tuesday that 93 days before the kickoff, they had yet to hear a word from Ndebele about the part their taxis would play in transporting visitors during the event.

Santaco was at a meeting of the National Assembly's transport committee to hear Department of Transport officials report on progress with the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and other World Cup transport plans.

The organisation's general secretary, Philip Taaibosch, said the government's silence had prompted him to write to Ndebele last week, asking the minister to clarify what role taxi operators would play, but he had had no response.

Taaibosch said he had written another letter on Monday in which he gave the minister seven days to respond. He would not say whether Santaco would embark on any action if Ndebele failed to meet the deadline.

However, the transport department's acting chief director for taxi recapitalisation, Kemantha Manilal, disputed Santaco's claim that the sector had been excluded from World Cup plans.

She said it had just tendered for 890 minibus taxis to transport spectators between cities and that one of the bidders had indicated they were working with Santaco.

But Taaibosch stuck to his guns, saying his organisation had not been consulted by the department.

"As the industry, we haven't been engaged. We are not involved. We don't know what role we'll play in (the) 2010 (soccer event).

"I wrote to the minister last week, (asking) what is our role. I wrote to him yesterday (Monday) that we are giving him seven days.

"People should not come here and lie," an angry Taaibosch shot back at Manilal.

Responding to Manilal's assertion that one of the bidding companies for a transport tender was linked to Santaco, committee chairperson Ruth Bhengu (ANC) said they have "heard those things in the past".

She suggested that the company Manilal referred to could have been using Santaco's name in order to get that contract without the knowledge of the taxi organisation.

Bhengu said Santaco was a big organisation that could have made a bid on its own without inviting outside parties.

ANC MP Duma Ndleleni said it was clear that Santaco had not been involved in the process and urged all the parties to meet within 21 days to resolve their differences.

Cape Town - The grievances of white ratepayers who are withholding their rates in protest over poor service delivery are valid, says Yunus Carrim, deputy minister of co-operative governance.

Sicelo Shiceka, minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, last week accused this group of "undermining" municipalities and forming illegal "parallel governments".

"Their grievances are, indeed, valid. We respect them and we are sorry about the (poor) service delivery, but change can't happen overnight," Carrim told Beeld at Parliament on Wednesday.

Last week Shiceka threatened to take the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) to court if negotiations with them were unsuccessful. Residents of about 300 towns are withholding their rates and taxes under the leadership of the NTU.

This money is deposited into specific accounts and used to provide services independently.

Need skills and experience

Carrim on Wednesday said that Shiceka would do his best to "win over" the NTU.

"Municipalities must be sorted out, and for this we need their skills and experience."

According to him, withholding rates is a "negative reaction".

"They (council members and municipal officials) don't see the NTU as partners (as a result of this action) but as opponents."

The NTU confronted Shiceka about his statements in an open letter on Monday, and warned that violent protests about poor service delivery will "get out of hand and the government won't be able to control the situation".

Tempers flared over poor service delivery near Pretoria on Tuesday, when residents of Mamelodi-East threatened to disrupt the 2010 World Cup because they still don't have houses, electricity, running water or proper sanitation after 16 years of democracy.
In-fighting in ANC

Carrim admitted that these residents also have legitimate complaints, but added that the situation is being fuelled by "infighting" within the ANC and a battle for spots on the candidate lists for next year's municipal elections.

Vuyelwa Qinga-Vika, Shiceka's spokesperson, confirmed that the minister had received the letter from the NTU and that the task team for municipalities has been asked to facilitate an urgent meeting with the union.

Shiceka's department on Wednesday gave feedback to Parliament's standing committee on public accounts about the R1.2bn that municipalities were supposed to give back to the Treasury, because they didn't spend it during the 2008-'09 financial year.

This money was intended for infrastructure development such as water supply and roads, and the standing committee was not pleased about the underspending.

"I suppose one could say the under-spending contributed to the protests," Elroy Africa, acting director-general, admitted under pressure.

Pretoria - The country's largest private security company obtained an urgent court order on Wednesday against the Central Firearms Registry to obtain 600 temporary firearm permits in time for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

This followed a late afternoon settlement after Fidelity Security Services approached the North Gauteng High Court for an urgent order about their firearm permits.

These permits were refused shortly before Christmas last year.

In terms of the settlement, which was made an order of court by Judge Bill Prinsloo, the Registry will issue 600 temporary firearm permits, valid for a year under strict conditions, to Fidelity.

Fidelity applied for the temporary permits in November last year when it appeared that there was no response to their more than 4 000 firearm licence applications and more than 2 000 applications for competency certificates.

The security company last year launched an urgent application when even their temporary permit applications - which have to be considered within seven days - appeared to be ignored.

The Firearms Registry thereafter turned down the temporary permit applications, forcing them to approach the court again, although their attempt to have the matter heard in January this year failed on technical grounds.

Incompetence

Fidelity advocate Mervyn Ripp, SC, told the court it would be a futile exercise to appeal internally against the Registry's decision, as there was a "history of unwillingness and incompetence", with the Firearms Appeal Board only hearing about 100 appeals in the past seven months.

Fidelity stated it did not have sufficient firearms to carry out its normal contractual obligations and to accommodate the increased demand for extra security services during the world cup.

It predicted a substantial increase in the use of auto teller machines and the amount of cash that would have to be transported to banks during the world cup as well as the need for more security guards at shopping centres.

This was apart from an increased need by important individuals and groups for private protection.

Fidelity said it needed an absolute minimum of 600 extra firearms, or faced having its contracts cancelled and seeing an increase in cash-in-transit heists and armed robberies in the country.

Massive delays

Several other security companies supported Fidelity's application, saying there had been a phenomenal increase in the number of enquiries and offers of contracts for their services.

The companies all confirmed massive delays in obtaining firearm licences, competency certificates and temporary permits, with some already waiting years for any response from the authorities.

Counsel for the Registry argued that Fidelity should have applied for more firearms years ago and was creating its own urgency, but Prinsloo ruled that the matter was urgent.

"It is a matter of some importance not only from the point of view of the applicant and respondents, but also from the point of view of the public and especially the long suffering firearm owning public who have at various times applied for firearm licences," the judge said.

NO action has been taken a week after traffic cops caused chaos by blocking major routes in Nelson Mandela Bay.

About 100 traffic cops were arrested last Wednesday, after rush-hour traffic was brought to a standstill on the M4, opposite the North End prison, as well as busy intersections in Motherwell and New Brighton.

Municipal spokesman Luncedo Njezula said yesterday the matter was still being dealt with internally.

He refused to give details on how the issue was being handled.

Police spokesman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said police were still investigating cases of intimidation and public violence, and four violations of the National Road Traffic Act.

“We are still investigating and cannot say at this stage if any arrests will be made,” she said.

She also confirmed that an illegal gun had been found in one of the traffic department vehicles that had been towed to the police pound for obstructing traffic.

“There have been no arrests in connection with this yet. We are looking into the matter and need to establish if the pistol was used in any previous criminal activity.”

DA safety and security spokesman Gustav Rautenbach said he had asked for an urgent meeting with city safety and security committee chairman Bicks Ndoni but had not yet received a reply.

“I am very disappointed that no one had the decency to answer. It shows this is clearly not a top priority for metro officials.”

Ralph Remakel received a Citibank letter postmarked Feb. 16 that notified him of a recent Citibank error. It turns out he wasn't the only one.

In late January, Citibank mailed year-end tax statements to 600,000 Citi customers via the U.S. Postal Service that included the customers' Social Security numbers ... on the outside of the envelope.

Citi called the mistake a "processing error."

Although the nine-digit numbers were not identified as Social Security numbers (they were printed at the lower edge of the envelope with other numbers and letters and resembled a mail routing number), Citi still reacted to the mistake. EVP and Director of Citibank Client Services Norman White sent customer notification letters to every affected Citi customer during the week of Feb. 15, apologizing for the error.

The letter offered Citi customers the option to enroll in a free, 180-day credit monitoring service arranged by Citibank, but White also encouraged customers to regularly review activity on their accounts.

Remakel said he did not take advantage of Citibank's credit monitoring service offer.

"It’s like small change compared to the effect of me getting my Social Security number compromised," Remakel said. "Who would would really see it except the post office? But it’s not like it’s hidden in any way. What’s the easiest way to take someone’s identity? Their Social Security Number."

(See the full text of the letter below)

Citibank said in a statement that the company believes the error produced little to no risk to its customers and that it has been corrected for all Citibank's future mailings.

"Although there is little or no risk to our customers, we decided to be completely transparent to our customers by notifying them of the error," the statement said. "It is an important part of our commitment to our customers to be fully transparent and to give them the peace of mind that comes from banking with people they trust."

Remakel, however, was not satisfied with his notification letter.

"I was almost to the point of calling them and saying, 'Hey, for your blunder, how about wiping out everything I owe you?',” he said.
Full text of Citibank's notification letter:

We are writing to inform you that due to a processing error the nine digits in your Social Security number, along with a string of other numbers and letters all resembling a mail routing number, were printed on the lower edge of an envelope containing a year-end tax statement that we mailed to you recently.

We believe there is little or no risk to you. However we wanted to bring this to your attention, apologize and confirm that changes have been made for all future mailings.

Should you nonetheless remain concerned, we have arranged for you at your option to enroll in a credit monitoring service at no cost to you for the next 180 days. To activate this coverage, please call the toll-free number or visit the website listed below and enter the redemption code. The redemption code is required for enrollment. As always, we encourage you to regularly review activity on your accounts.

NELSPRUIT - The objective of restoring 30 per cent of agricultural land by 2014, has been put on ice and R4 billion was allocated to rebuild the deteriorated farms, already restituted. In alliance with the above aims, Mr Gugile Nkwinti, minister of rural development, called on white farmers, young and upcoming as well as retired, to partner with the department in this endeavour. He pointed out that 90 per cent of the 5,9 million hectare farmland restituted since 1994, lay waste currently, and that the "use it or loose it" principle would now apply more than ever.

In the Lowveld, the Burgershall banana farms are an example of how once- productive farms deteriorated to wastelands. Also, in Hazyview and Malalane, communities of claimants are suffering due to unproductive farms. "What is imperative in terms of land reform is to link our processes with strategic partners to ensure skills transfer and sustainability, and it is for this reason we want to partner with you," he said at an AGRI SA conference last Friday.

According to the minister, the R74 billion needed to reach the 30 per cent target, is simply not available presently, which is why emphasis will now fall on the rebuilding of farms over a period of three years. He stated that much government funding had been wasted in the past on a system which did not benefit white farmers with existing claims on their land or claimants waiting for land for prolonged periods.

"There are two objectives behind this initiative namely the transfer of skills, expertise and knowledge and production discipline. Our goal, as a nation, is food security," he continued. According to Nkwinti, the failure of the many land reform projects, of which there are many in the Lowveld, were not the fault of the beneficiaries alone, but of everyone, as land reform cannot happen in isolation, but requires a collective resolve, which matches emergent farmers with the expertise of commercial farmers.

During the debate on the State of the Nation Address, Nkwinti referred to the current land legislation as a patchwork, too fragmented to address the centuries-old land question in South Africa effectively. "A green paper soon to be tabled in parliament will open a debate on the need to review the current land tenure system as a whole," he said. Leader of the FF, Dr Pieter Mulder, welcomed this announcement, saying that it was a realistic approach that would result in real solutions. "To date, idealistic and rash motivation towards land restitution has threatened the country's food security."

SENIOR police officials have threatened to tap the phones of members of the flying squad and dog unit, and to ensure disciplinary measures are taken should policemen speak to the media.

This comes hot on the heels of a report in The Herald highlighting the lack of operational vehicles at the dog unit.

Shortly after the story was published policemen, requesting anonymity for fear of victimisation, said a meeting with provincial heads was called where members were threatened with disciplinary action if they talked to the press.

The five-hour meeting involved both the Port Elizabeth Flying Squad and Dog Unit members who said they were “given a stern warning not to talk to the media”.

Members were apparently threatened with “severe repercussions” if they exposed “internal on-goings” with the media.

“They told us we would face severe disciplinary action if we talk to the media,” one policeman said yesterday. “They also said we must make do with what we have and stop complaining.”

In the report published last month, The Herald exposed mismanagement in that only two dog unit vehicles were serving the entire Port Elizabeth area.

DA safety and security spokesman Gustav Rautenbach, a former policeman, said yesterday he was aware of the meeting, and was perturbed that management had resorted to “bullying and intimidation” to stop information leaking to the press.

“These members are frustrated. (Police management) have been using this type of intimidation technique for years,” he said.

“If the management of the police provided members with the proper tools to do their work there would be no problems and no need for these tactics.”

Rautenbach said management had threatened to tap the members’ cellphones to ensure they did not talk to the media. “This is a mere scare tactic. It would be extremely difficult for them to do legally.”

At Rhodes University, Journalism and Media Studies head Prof Guy Berger said that according to police Standing Order 156, police officials were allowed to talk to the press.

“If the policeman has knowledge about the field or case and does not give out information that will jeopardise a case he is allowed to talk (to the media).”

Berger said: “I encourage police to talk to the media as it is vital to keep the public up to date.”

Labour attorney Francois le Roux said an employer was fully within its rights to have a policy stipulating who could and could not talk to the media.

“One must distinguish the rights of employees and whether the law commonly known as the ‘whistle blowers Act’ is applicable.”

“If it turns out that legitimate complaints have fallen on deaf ears internally, one must assess whether the information has an element of public interest which would be an important mitigation factor in bringing the information to the press.”

Provincial communication head Miranda Mills said she was not permitted to comment on Standing Order 156 but was aware of the meeting held two weeks ago. As far as she was aware no threats were made to police members at the meeting.

POLICE have launched a manhunt for awaiting trial prisoner Willie Pieters after he escaped from Livingstone Hospital on Wednesday night.

Pieters, 37, was awaiting trail for more than 36 criminal cases of fraud and forgery, plus a case of pretending to be a secret service agent. Last year, police raided his Algoa Park home and found an illegal rifle and a huge amount of ammunition hidden under the floorboards.

Pieters was arrested three weeks ago for another case of fraud where he allegedly stole more than R200000 from a Port Elizabeth business. According to a source close to the case, Pieters allegedly opened a false bank account in the businesses’ name and deposited cheques owed to the company.

Pieters escaped when he was taken to Livingstone Hospital on Sunday after complaining of severe chest pains linked to possible heart problems. “We are not sure how he escaped while he was there as he was under guard,” said the source.

Johannesburg - Two political parties and a cultural organisation on Sunday vowed to oppose attempts by the government to change the country's land ownership system.

"The Democratic Alliance will vehemently oppose any attempt by the ANC government to amend Section 25 of the Constitution, the provision that protects private property against expropriation," it said in a statement.

It was reacting to an article in the Afrikaans newspaper Rapport that the government was considering declaring agricultural land a "national asset" and institute a quit-rent land tenure system, in a Green Paper to be published shortly. In such a system, the farmer pays rent to the state, which owns the land.

The director-general of the rural development and land reform department, Thozi Gwanya, was quoted as saying problems with land reform showed the system of land ownership had to change.

He said one of the options suggested by his department was that all agricultural land be declared a national asset. The other option was to keep the current land ownership system, but cap the amount of land owned by an individual.

The Freedom Front Plus said declaring agricultural land a national asset would amount to nationalising it. Party leader Pieter Mulder said such a move would be unconstitutional, chase investors away and destroy food security.

If a so-called quit-rent land tenure system became government policy, it would create insecurity in rural areas, which would hamper rural development.

"The president (Jacob Zuma) has just come back from overseas where he categorically moved to assure investors that nationalisation is not on the ANC's agenda."

Such a move would wreak havoc for the country's investment prospects, the agricultural sector and for improving land reform.

Gwanya denied that declaring land a national asset was the same as nationalisation.

The Afrikanerbond said it would consider reactivating the ad hoc group for the protection of property rights to oppose the department's proposals. When the Expropriation Bill was published in 2008, 17 organisations from civil society and political parties formed the group.

"The possibility that Section 25, as contained in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, and which deals with property rights may be amended to accommodate this ill-considered proposal, is a stark reminder of the equally ill considered expropriation bill which was mooted in 2008 and was clearly unconstitutional," the organisation's Jan Bosman said in a statement.

According to Rapport, the aim of such a system was to ensure that farms that had already been redistributed, but not being used productively, be taken back and given to someone else.

Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti, recently acknowledged that about 90 percent of the 5.9 million hectares of agricultural land in the state's hands were uncultivated and considered fallow.